Thanks for your comment. It’s great hearing from all sides of the discussion, and I do commend you guys for trying something different!

Chris

I am a strategist on the team at Social Media Group that created this program. Although I don’t speak for Maggie, I’m sure she would agree that there was no “fear” in the decision surrounding comments on the SMPR.

Maggie explains why, pure and simple in the quote you posted.

I would add that comments are enabled on flickr and youtube. A few conversations have sparked in those venues. As expected, they typically revolve around the car, not the medium they got the assets from.

The conversation that continues regarding the format of the SMPR, surrounds fact that this does not allow conversation. I can’t help but smile at the irony a little

To that end, I wonder how many comments (if enabled) on the SMPR would be about the SMPR format, instead of the topic of Ford Focus, Ford Sync or other things automotive?

For my 2cents… In these early days, “emerging media is the message” conversations are served well in the PR/Marketing blog sphere. I’m sure the format will iron itself out as we pundits continue to debate the nomenclature and degree of enablement.

In the meantime, please join us, and other Ford enthusiast in the automotive forums, the blogsphere, Flickr, Facebook and other social networks as we continue to talk cars!

Thanks for your comment. I think we are in agreement. The point of my post was that, although pretty, the Ford release doesn’t quite meet the mark.

By “aggregate content up,” I think you are referring to tagging and bookmarking, more or less what Todd Defren and Brian Solis refer to as “breadcrumbs that ultimately aggregate the resulting conversations in one convenient spot”. For me, this is both an important measurement tool and a way to help consumers find information easily. With that said, I am inclined to agree more with Kami Huyse’s idea that the SMR is a way to increase word of mouth .

My example of the behind-the-scenes videos in the above piece are a way in which Ford could use the SMR to increase discussion behind the product. In its current state, the Ford Focus SMR, to me, is the multimedia equivalent to the marketing book you can get at a car show. It can be easily forgotten. If we developed compelling content in the SMR, it could initiate sustainable consumer discussion.

In terms of listening, I think that is one of the most significant elements in a social media campaign. Consumer responses to a press release = plus. Company Rep responding thoughtfully to the comment = even bigger plus. Utilizing a Facebook group to facilitate this discussion and enabling comments, wall, etc = two check pluses. Publishing your SMR on the company’s (updated) blog = two check plus pluses. If you are talking about blogger relations, I am writing a piece on that, but it wasn’t my intended scope for this piece.

In regards to the Jeep 2.0, again, it’s really pretty and has several elements of social media, but it misses the point. GM Europe’s SMR is a heck of a lot closer to what I envision.

I think we are only beginning to discuss the changes in PR. Blogs and comments help us, as a community, exchange ideas and collaborate. I hope I’m not over-simplifying you,Brian, Todd and Kami.

Chris

It’s not hard to aggregate content up. That’s the first step in listening. It does have to start with the client. That’s where I believe the education must start. It easy to sell the client on.. you should be doing more with social media… It is hard to sell them on participating. Without participation it remains a 1.0 activity. Take a look at the Jeep 2.0 campaign. Let me know if you see anything 2.0 about it.

Cheers
Stuart